Method for obtaining dinitrogen oxide

Abstract

A method is disclosed for obtaining dinitrogen monoxide by stepwise reduction of nitrates and/or nitrites from substances containing nitrate and/or nitrite, the reduction reaction being interrupted or limited after the step in which the dinitrogen monoxide is formed and the dinitrogen monoxide produced in the reduction reaction being separated, captured and/or collected.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for obtaining dinitrogen monoxide, the method comprising:
 stepwise reducing at least one of (a) nitrates and (b) nitrites from substances containing at least one of (a) nitrate and (b) nitrite; 
 at least one of (a) interrupting the stepwise reduction after a stage in which a reduction reaction produces dinitrogen monoxide and (b) limiting the stepwise reduction after the stage in which the reduction reaction produces dinitrogen monoxide; and 
 at least one of (a) separating the dinitrogen monoxide produced in the reduction reaction, (b) capturing the dinitrogen monoxide produced in the reduction reaction, and (c) collecting the dinitrogen monoxide produced in the reduction reaction; 
 wherein the stepwise reducing of the nitrate and/or nitrite to dinitrogen monoxide are catalyzed by metalloenzymes, the metalloenzymes used being nitrate reductase for converting nitrate to nitrite, nitrite reductase for converting the nitrite into nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen monoxide reductase for converting the nitrogen monoxide into dinitrogen monoxide, and 
 wherein to interrupt or limit the reduction reaction of the dinitrogen monoxide to nitrogen, copper ions of the metalloenzyme used for reducing the dinitrogen monoxide are reduced, removed or complexed before and/or during denitrification, 
 wherein to interrupt or limit the reduction reaction of the dinitrogen monoxide to nitrogen, copper ions of the metalloenzyme used for reducing the dinitrogen monoxide are removed from the metalloenzyme by complexing with a complexing agent and/or complexed within the metalloenzyme by complexing with said complexing agent before and/or during denitrification, 
 wherein the complexing agent for removing the copper ions is selected from the group consisting of, sulfonamide-substituted thionoligands, 1-(chloro-3-indazolyl-azo)-2-hydroxy-naphthalene-3,6-disulfonic acid-analog ligands and chlorophyll-based ligands. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the stepwise reduction is a biological decomposition of at least one of (a) nitrates and (b) nitrites from the substances containing at least one of (a) nitrate and (b) nitrite, nitrate initially being reduced to nitrite which is further reduced to nitrogen monoxide and the nitrogen monoxide then being reduced to dinitrogen monoxide. 
     
     
       3. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the dinitrogen monoxide is separated from at least one of (a) a liquid phase and/or (b) a waste gas. 
     
     
       4. The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the dinitrogen monoxide is purified by selective membrane processes. 
     
     
       5. The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein activity of a dinitrogen monoxide reductase is limited or suspended by at least one of (a) irreversible inhibitors, (b) reversible inhibitors, (c) non-competitive inhibitors, (c) competitive inhibitors, (d) substrate inhibition, and (d) product inhibition. 
     
     
       6. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the substances containing the at least one of (a) nitrate and (b) nitrite comprise: (a) domestic waste water, (b) domestic wastes, (c) wastes occurring in industry, (d) waste products occurring in industry, (e) wastes occurring in agriculture, or (f) waste products occurring in agriculture. 
     
     
       7. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the substances containing the at least one of (a) nitrate and (b) nitrite occur in the manufacture of biogas. 
     
     
       8. The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: supplying the dinitrogen monoxide to an oxidation reaction as an oxygen carrier. 
     
     
       9. The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the oxidation reaction is (a) a combustion of coal, natural gas or fuel in an internal combustion engine or (b) an oxidation reaction in a fuel cell. 
     
     
       10. The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: supplying the dinitrogen monoxide to a combustion system as at least one of (a) a fuel and (b) an oxidant.